


Valentine's Wishes

by tariana



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 09:33:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15482826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tariana/pseuds/tariana
Summary: Harry has a secret admirer at Valentine's Day.





	Valentine's Wishes

Bloody Valentine's Day, Harry thought. It was the stupidest, most pointless holiday in existence.

He walked despondently down a darkened corridor at Hogwarts, feeling utterly betrayed and dejected. When he figured out who had done it, they were going to have a nice case of boils, or perhaps he could get Ginny to cast the Bat Bogey hex on them for him. Unless it *was* Ginny? But no, she wouldn't do that to him. Probably a Slytherin, then. 

Playing this prank, making him think someone was interested in him. It was so cruel, to taunt him this way.

Whoever it was had begun the week on Monday by sending Harry a heart-shaped biscuit covered with pink-and-white frosting. One of the school owls had brought it during lunch, so there was no clue there as to who might have sent it. There had been no note attached, and he had been puzzled but not terribly concerned by the gift. He tended to have some admirers, and for him, having people like him was still new enough to be pleasant rather than annoying.

Tuesday had seen the arrival at breakfast of a small box of foil-wrapped chocolates at breakfast. They were elegant and obviously quite expensive -- a departure from the previous day's much simpler gift. He wondered if they might even be from a different person, but he was fairly sure it had been the same owl that brought them, so eventually he decided it must be only one person. Anticipation started to grow -- still no note or any indication of who had sent it, but perhaps they meant to wait until Valentine's Day to reveal themselves?

Wednesday's gift didn't arrive until the evening, when he had already returned to the dorm for the night. A single, vibrant red rose had been clasped in the owl's beak as it tapped on the window. Still no note -- Harry had spent all day idly wondering who it might be.

Valentine's Day morning brought no answers as to the identity of his admirer, but it did bring the promise of them, in the form of a neatly-lettered note on a heavy, cream-colored notecard.

You are probably wondering who I am. All will be revealed tonight, after 9:00. I will find you. It will be my first kiss. Will it be yours?

Hermione squealed when she read the note, which she had snatched away from Harry almost before he could read it.

"This is an old Wizarding tradition, Harry -- six gifts for your Valentine. I read about it in the library. I thought it must be this, but now I know it is!"

Harry caught sight of Ron rolling his eyes behind Hermione's back, and laughed. There was nothing that made Hermione happier than being right. Hermione turned accusingly to ROn, who at least had the good grace to look sheepish.

After gazing at Ron witheringly for a few moments, Hermione continued telling Harry about the tradition.

"Something to signify the importance of the heart -- that's your cookie. Something to say that love is sweet -- that's the chocolate. A flower, to symbolize how love grows. A note, because two lovers write their own story. Then, something of the person's that can be tied in a knot, like a necktie or scarf, or maybe a necklace, to show that the lovers are tied together by their love."

"Tied together?" asked Ron. "Maybe it should be a noose, so they could hang themselves with it. Who came up with all this Valentine's Day nonsense anyhow? Never mind," he said as Hermione appeared to gear up for another speech, "I don't really want to know."

"That's only five gifts. What's the last one?" Harry wondered.

"Haven't you guessed, Harry? It's the most romantic gift of all," Hermione sighed. "A kiss!"

"It's got to be a girl, Harry," Ron said. "No boy would go to this much trouble."

"Just because you have all the romantic instincts of a -- of a slug, Ronald Weasley, doesn't mean all boys are that way!" Hermione scolded.

Harry spent the rest of the day in nervous anticipation, wondering who it was. He didn't know which house they were from -- and in case they weren't from his, he'd better be outside his common room when 9:00 came. And a kiss? Harry had never kissed anyone, so he was quite nervous about that part, but also excited. 

The day passed with agonizing slowness, but finally it neared 9:00. Harry combed his hair as best he could, straightened his tie and glasses, and walked outside into the corridor. It passed 9:00 by a few minutes, and he began to look around anxiously as he walked, hoping to catch a glimpse of his mystery admirer.

He had a bad moment at about 10 after 9, when Ron skidded around the corner, saw him, and called his name. It turned out that Ron only wanted to know if he'd seen Hermione, and as Ron loped off, Harry breathed a loud sigh of relief -- that would have been awkward if his secret admirer had been Ron.

When the clock struck 10:00 without an appearance from his admirer, he began to worry. Perhaps they had been too shy to really approach him. Or, worse, maybe the whole thing had been someone's joke. They were probably lurking around the corner, having a good laugh at his expense.

He had moped around a bit more, making his way to a bench recessed into the wall. He sat, sinking into the soft upholstery, but feeling no comfort or warmth. Tonight, he only felt sadness. Finally Harry decided to just head back to his dorm and end this agonizing waiting. Whatever the cause -- shyness or deliberate cruelty -- he had no desire to wait around any longer.

He had just stood and began to walk away when Draco Malfoy came around the corner and stopped short when he caught sight of Harry. Harry looked at him nervously -- could it be? He studied Draco -- over the last year, he'd had a growth spurt Harry hadn't, leaving him a few inches taller. He had grown into his pointy features some, Harry thought, and was now quite nice-looking. He really wasn't as annoying as Harry had originally thought him -- Harry wasn't exactly sure one would call them friends, but they certainly weren't enemies, either.

Harry had spent a great deal of time trying to figure out who his secret admirer might be, but he hadn't really allowed himself to think of anyone specific, for fear of disappointment if it didn't turn out to be the person that he had eventually had to admit he really hoped it was.

And now, seeing Draco standing there, wearing his cloak, normally pale cheeks rosy with the cold, and holding his scarf in his hand, Harry knew for certain who he wanted it to be.

And, wonder of wonders, it appeared that he was going to get his wish, as Draco lifted the scarf to wrap it around Harry's neck. Harry touched the finely knit green and silver material wonderingly and then looked up at Draco, who looked nearly as nervous as Harry felt.

"I trust," Draco said, "with a best friend like Granger, you've figured out the meanings of my gifts."

Harry nodded. "Yes, she explained it. But she said there was to be a sixth gift."

Draco smiled. "Yes, there's meant to be, if you want it."

Grey eyes searched green ones for a moment, then Draco must have found what he was looking for, because leaned down, and Harry leaned up, and then their lips were pressing lightly together. It was sweet, and gentle, and almost careful. Harry felt Draco smile into the kiss, and he smiled too.

Valentine's Day, Harry thought, wasn't such a bad holiday after all.


End file.
